Per-call based prepaid service accessed through a non-prepaid subscription mobile station

摘要

A non-prepaid subscription cellular mobile station operates to provide for communications over a selected wireless cellular air interface. A call is established over the air interface to allow the serving network to collect calling information relating to a mobile station user's prepaid call request. This information is processed in the cellular network to determine whether the user is financially authorized for the established call to engage in the requested prepaid call. If so, call handling information relating to an authorized time duration for the call is supplied to a serving switch that then controls further handling, and if necessary termination, of that call in accordance with that information. In this way, charging for the call is advantageously applied on a per-call basis against the user's prepaid account instead of the mobile station's non-prepaid subscription.